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President makes case for health law in Hub Yawu Miller
State Rep. Marty Walsh won Tuesday’s mayoral election with 72,524 votes, besting City Councilor John Connolly. Walsh’s supporters packed the Park Plaza Hotel for a victory party with music provided by the Irish rock band the Dropkick Murphys. (Ernesto Arroyo photo)
Walsh wins mayor’s seat, pledges to work for equity Yawu Miller Backed by a formidable army of volunteers, state Rep. Marty Walsh opened up a lead of more than 4,908 votes to beat City Councilor John Connolly, winning the mayor’s seat with 72,524 votes. As volunteers packed the main ballroom at the Park Plaza Hotel, Walsh pledged to unite a city that split nearly evenly between the two mayoral candidates. “This is Boston strong, and together we’re going to make Boston even stronger,” he said. “We’re going to do it by expanding opportunity, we’re going to do it by creating community and creating equality for everyone.”
Walsh’s victory capped a feverish six-week battle with Connolly’s campaign that saw what many say was an unprecedented push for the support of the black, Latino and Asian communities. “This is the first time we saw candidates going after both the minority vote and the minority leadership,” said Walsh supporter Alvaro Lima, director of research at the Boston Redevelopment Authority. “The endorsements were very important. For the first time, the minority community came together and made a difference.” While a group of black clergy endorsed Connolly, Walsh won the endorsements of all black elected officials as well as labor
leaders and community organizations in the black, Latino and Asian communities. Along with their endorsements, former mayoral candidates Charlotte Golar Richie, Felix G. Arroyo and John Barros went to work for Walsh, converting their offices to Walsh campaign offices and calling their former supporters to urge them to vote for Walsh. The efforts of the candidates were augmented by armies of union volunteers who blanketed the city’s low-voting wards with leaflets, phone calls and house visits as part of a comprehensive get-out-the-vote effort. While the Walsh campaign Walsh, continued to page 21
After Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, it ran a gauntlet of opposition, surviving a Supreme Court challenge and serving as a political football in the 2012 presidential election and this year’s government shutdown. Most recently, rollout of the national health care law has been plagued by technical setbacks that have stalled traffic on the website designed to connect consumers with health care plans. With the law, known as Obamacare, under renewed attack from Republicans, President Obama retreated to one of his most reliable Democratic strongholds to make his case in defense of the law. “Health care reform in this state was a success,” he told a Faneuil Hall audience of health care executives, health care activists and civic leaders when he spoke in Boston last week. “Thirty-six thousand people signed up within a year.” Despite the Oct. 1 rollout of the website, which consumers can use to find and select health care plans, the Obama administration has registered just a few hundred people for the national health care plan. Obama assured last week’s audience his administration will soon have the website up and running.
“We’re working overtime to improve it every day,” he said. “Every day, more people are signing up. More people are successfully buying their plans than there were two weeks ago.” While GOP talking heads are shining a spotlight on the Obama administration’s website woes, the president and Gov. Deval Patrick are putting the focus on the virtues of the Affordable Care Act, highlighting the Patient’s Bill of Rights — a set of consumer protections that include measures preventing insurers from discriminating against children with pre-existing conditions and the requirement that most plans cover preventive care. “ Yo u n g people can stay on their parents’ plans until they’re 26,” Obama said. “All this is in place now. It’s working now.” Republicans have been hammering away at the Affordable Care Act since it was signed into law in 2010, with claims the law would increase disparities between black and white health care recipients and bankrupt businesses. The Obama administration has a ways to go toward meeting its goal of providing health care insurance for everyone in the United States. Currently 15 percent of the population does not have health care.
“Every day, more people are signing up. More people are successfully buying their plans than there were two weeks ago.” — President Obama
Obama, continued to page 7
Sox world series victory underscores progress on team’s race issues Brian Wright O’Connor If the first World Series title of this century buried “The Curse of the Bambino” and the second threw dirt on the grave, then the third may finally put to rest the ghost of Jackie Robinson. After the umpire called the final out of the World Series last week, Red Sox fans of every race, color, and creed erupted in the sort of elemental joy that only the Olde Towne Team can inspire — a soul-stirring pleasure that feels
like redemption in a city built on Puritan gloom and Catholic guilt. In the decades after World War II, blatant institutional racism emerged as an even darker side of the city’s heritage. When Army veteran Jackie Robinson showed up at the “lyrical band box of a ballpark” in 1945, the team offered a phony tryout, with no intention of ever signing the speedy hitter who went on to become the first African AmeriSox, continued to page 9
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz hits a grand slam in game two of the World Series. Ortiz has been instrumental in three World Series victories for the Sox. (Photo courtesy of the Boston Red Sox photo)
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2 • Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
Boston honors basketball great Bill Russell with statue
President Barack Obama is greeted by Bill Russell during a stop to view the statue of Russell at City Hall Plaza in Boston, Mass., on Oct. 30. The statue was publicly unveiled on Nov. 1. (Photo courtesy of the White House) Martin Desmarais City officials, NBA stars past and present and several hundred fans showed up for the unveiling of the city’s statue of Bill Russell last week on a windswept rainy day on City Hall Plaza. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was the most poignant in his tribute to Russell, speaking,
he said, not as governor, but as an American and as a black man. “Bill Russell came to Boston to join the Celtics in 1956 the year I was born,” Patrick said. “And from that time forward through his career, he has stood up for civil and human rights and social justice. And every time he did that it made America and my life better. And I want to thank you for that.”
Boston Mayor Tom Menino also lauded Russell for his efforts to bridge the racial barriers that stood in Boston during his professional basketball days. “This is a guy we can all be proud of because when he played basketball in Boston it was not easy to be a black man in Boston, let me tell you,” Menino said. “It is a much different city today. Bill Rus-
sell made it. He broke that line.” NBA Commissioner David Stern called Russell “one of the greatest ambassadors of our sport.” The legend himself deflected his success – 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons – from himself and toward his former teammates and players, many of whom were gathered at the unveiling. “I played for the Boston Celtics. The biggest honor I got to play for the Celtics is they made me the captain,” Russell said. “I played a team game and the only important statistic was who won the game. And so I have always thanked my teammates for letting me help them be champions.” The larger than life sculpture of Russell is on a low base in game action, poised with basketball in hand about to pass the ball to a teammate. He aims towards a low-standing, open stone engraved with Russell’s quote, “The most important measure of how good a game I’d played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.” Ten granite blocks surround the statue of Russell in City Hall Plaza for a total of 11 elements representing his 11 championships with the Boston Celtics. Each block features a key word and a corresponding quotation to illuminate the accomplishments spanning Russell’s career both on and off the court. The artwork is inscribed in a field of brick and granite pavers that reflect the proportions of a basketball court. “In order to experience the whole artwork, visitors need to move around and through the
field of plinths; like a basketball court, it is a forum for interaction,” explained Somerville-based sculptor Ann Hirsch. “It is appropriate that the conceptual experience of the artwork is arrived at through a physical interaction because one of the primary messages of the work, along with celebrating Bill Russell and teamwork, is to inspire change through mentorship. You get in the game and become a member of Bill Russell’s team when you visit the site and interact with the plinths.” In addition to erecting the statue of Russell, the Bill Russell Legacy Project, along with the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation and Mass Mentoring Partnership developed a Mentoring Grant program in Russell’s name to ensure his passion for mentoring children is carried on. The grant’s main objective is to expand the resources for mentoring programs in the city of Boston. In the grant’s inaugural year, over $50,000 in grants were awarded to the following programs: Adoption and Foster Care Mentoring, Generations Inc. and The DREAM Program Inc. Sculptures of children will be added in a second phase of the artwork around Russell’s statue as an extension of the mentorship program. NBA greats that attended the statue unveiling included: Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Charles Barkley, Elgin Baylor, Clyde Drexler and George “The Iceman” Gervin. Former Celtics players included: Tommy Heinsohn, Sam Jones, Bill Walton and JoJo White.
Bill Russell addresses a crowd gathered to honor his legacy with a new statue at City Hall Plaza. (Photo courtesy of Gov. Deval Patrick’s office)
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Viet-AID honored for work improving Fields Corner Martin Desmarais Dorchester House President and CEO Walter J. Ramos says honoring Viet-AID was an easy choice. “The idea was to celebrate Dorchester and all that Dorchester has to offer,” he said.“Also to celebrate organizations we work with that are major contributors
livered a long list of accomplishments supporting the Vietnamese community. In 2002, Viet-AID opened a 18,000-square-foot community center in Fields Corner and holds annual Vietnamese cultural celebrations there. The organization has also developed 128 units of affordable housing, most re-
“The need for affordable housing in our community keeps increasing and around Dorchester we never have enough good affordable housing.” — Nam Pham to Fields Corner and Dorchester.” The clear choice was Viet-AID, a community development corporation that serves the Vietnamese community and the Dorchester neighborhoods where they live. “For us we felt it was important to recognize them and the contributions they make to the Fields Corner neighborhood,” he said. According to Ramos, VietAID has done much to bring the Vietnamese community to the forefront of the Fields Corner neighborhood. Since it was started almost two decades ago, Viet-AID has de-
cently the Bloomfield Gardens development on Geneva Ave., as well as over half-a-dozen commercial spaces. Nam Pham, executive director of Viet-AID, said the organization is very pleased with its success in building affordable housing in Dorchester to support the community and allow its residents to continue to live there. “The need for affordable housing in our community keeps increasing and around Dorchester we never have enough good affordable housing so over the last 10 years we have focused on doing more to meet the needs of our community,” Pham said.
“We not only build affordable housing units, we also build very good quality.” The group runs a small business assistance program, an early childhood education and care program, an after-school and summer program for Vietnamese youth, a first-time home buyer program that has worked with over 400 families and a foreclosure prevention program. Viet-AID has also worked in collaboration with environmental health advocacy, research and service agencies, to provided education, training and technical assistance to workers and business owners in the hardwood floor re-finishing and nail salon industries — Vietnamese dominated business that use highly toxic materials — on adopting safer materials and practices. The organization heads up Fields Corner Connect, a neighborhood-wide effort to promote public safety and awareness. Viet-AID also backed a resident project to build a community garden at the corner of Freeman St. and Faulkner St. Pham says he is excited about Viet-AID’s newest project, an approximately $14 million development of 35 units of affordable housing along Washington St. in previously vacant buildings. The Four Corners development project will also have a handful of units designated for very low-in-
Viet-AID Executive Director Nam Pham, right, and his wife, Mary Truong, at the Dorchester House’s annual gala on Nov. 2 at UMass Boston. Viet-AID was honored for the organization’s efforts to support the Vietnamese community in Fields Corner. (Photo courtesy of the Dorchester House) come housing, 3,000 square feet of commercial space and community space. Viet-AID has been working on the project for several years and is now moving forward on it with the Boston Redevelopment Authority. “We are very happy that we received overwhelming support
from the neighborhood,” Pham said. “The project will bring change and provide decent housing for working families in the neighborhood.” Pham has been executive director of Viet-AID for the last Viet-AID, continued to page 20
4 • Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
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Protest over Obamacare: a backdoor attack on the poor The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been under serious attack. The website designed to provide Internet enrollment is defective; and some people who thought that they would be able to keep their present policy, no matter what, have been notified of their cancellation. President Obama’s decision to come to Boston to respond to his critics is not a casual choice of venue. With conservatives willing to shut down the government to prevent the funding of the ACA, citizens could easily come to the false conclusion that such hostility toward public health reform always existed. The fact is that the prototype to the ACA was launched enthusiastically in Massachusetts in 2006 under the Republican Gov. Mitt Romney. At the time Romney was not acting as a political maverick. At the formal ceremony for the new law, Romney was joined on the stage of Faneuil Hall by leaders of the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. They were especially pleased that the statute contained a provision to require everyone to have health insurance. After Obama was elected president in 2008, the conservative position on universal health care changed in only four years between 2006 and 2010. Obama had agreed to the Massachusetts model, even though he preferred a single payer plan similar to Medicare, but that was not enough of a concession to earn conservative support. As a candidate for president in 2012, Romney offered a weak explanation for his lack of support for the ACA, which was modeled on his own plan for Massachusetts. He said disingenuously that what worked in Massachusetts was not necessarily good for the rest of the country. His attack was clearly personal. Powerful Republicans had decided to destroy Obama’s stature by any means necessary. Nonetheless, it is conceded that the universal health plan in Massachusetts has been a success.
There were many setbacks in the early years, but now 97 percent of state residents have health insurance coverage. Obama’s focus on the state’s history with their health plan indicates that the delays and glitches ACA is now experiencing are reasonable to expect. A major aspect of the ACA is to establish minimum standards for coverage of health insurance plans. People can continue with the same insurers if the companies decide to offer the same plans. However, some insurers decided to discontinue substandard plans and notified their customers. Much has been made of the disappointment people feel because they are unable to keep their defective plans. The media have been quick to develop the conflict over this issue, although it is better for citizens to be freed from so-called “junk” policies. Obama’s trip to Boston showed to the nation that many of the problems now confronting the implementation of Obamacare are normal. However, the attack on the poor in America is abnormal. Even John Kasich, the Republican governor of Ohio, is reported to have said, “I’m concerned about the fact there seems to be a war on the poor. That, if you’re poor, somehow you’re shiftless and lazy.” Some affluent Americans have not yet decided that every citizen deserves adequate health care as a right of U.S. citizenship. America is still the land of opportunity, but as the wealthiest country in the world, there must be a commitment to assure a reasonable standard of living for every citizen. Some analysts now assert that racial hostility is driving this animus toward the poor. Conservatives are willing to sacrifice the welfare of destitute whites, who outnumber poor blacks, in order to manifest their racial bias. This strategy will certainly backfire when poor whites realize that they have become the pawns in a vicious battle over racial bigotry with deep historical roots.
Lettersto the Editor
Defends Connolly on school assignment
The Banner article (Blacks, Latinos split support between Connolly, Walsh, 10/31/13) mentions that John Connolly’s position on school assignment as an example of a key policy difference between him and some of the leaders of color who endorsed Marty Walsh. But unfortunately that’s not an accurate representation of the position that Councilor Connolly took during the most recent efforts to reform BPS’ student assignment policy. John Connolly co-sponsored the Quality Choice Plan, along with elected officials such as Linda Dorcena-Forry and Russell Holmes. The impetus behind the plan was to ensure that any efforts to reform the student assignment process also include a vision for improving school quality. As Councilor Connolly often pointed out in the numerous meetings and hearings he held with parents about the student assignment process, we currently have a system where staggering percentages of students of color are bused across
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the city to attend low-quality (Level 3 and 4) schools with other students of color. We’ll never achieve educational equity without improving school quality. The plan co-sponsored by Councilor Connolly attempts to do just that. It addresses teacher and principal development; school autonomy through the growth of pilots, citywide magnets, and in-district charters; and the needs of diverse learners through the growth of full-inclusion and two-way bilingual schools. The details are clear and very much worth reading. Has John Connolly really lost support in the black community because he’s been
falsely represented as favoring a return to neighborhood schools at the expense of improving school quality for all? That would be a terrible shame. Because it’s just so far from the truth. Orin Gutlerner Erratum: Due to a reporting error, statements in the Oct. 24 article “Black Pols endorse Walsh, Connolly gets clergy nod” were incorrectly attributed to the Rev. John Borders. None of Borders’ speech from the Connolly endorsement event was actually quoted in that story. The Banner regrets the error.
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Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5
RovingCamera
Opinion Cognitive dissonance is crippling Capitol Hill William Spriggs
The U.S. Department of Treasury has announced that the deficit for 2013 was $680 billion, which is about $200 billion less than what was projected back in February. The deficit has been falling since 2009 at the fastest rate on record since the demobilization of World War II. Nonetheless, Tea Party Republicans have succeeded in getting the Washington media elite and the president to continue focusing on the deficit. However, the real problem is inadequate income. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that there is gap between current GDP (the value of all goods and services in the country) and where GDP would be if the unemployment rate were 6 percent instead of around the prevailing rate of about 7 percent. Americans would earn about $439 billion more than they do at the higher rate of unemployment. Since the mid-1990s, the Washington elite have been absorbed with discussions of long-term budget projections. They cannot come to grips with the current crisis’ impact on the economy. According to The Washington Post, the congressional districts represented by Tea Party Republicans have worse unemployment and lower income than the rest of the nation. There is clearly a disconnect between voters in those districts and an understanding of the impact of Tea Party economic policies. The big excuse is supposed to be that those voters are watching only Fox News. But, TV viewers in Washington also hear constant chatter suggesting that Congress needs to focus on the federal deficit because presumably it is stifling the recovery of the economy. Tea Party supporters are, therefore, willing to accept that millions, mostly women and children, will suffer from huge cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program slated to begin Nov. 1. The long-term unemployed also face cuts in their benefits beginning in January. Yet Tea Party representatives see government spending on unemployment benefits and SNAP as part of the “out-of-con- The congressional trol” federal budget they claim is districts represented hurting America’s economy. Of course, that logic would by Tea Party probably escape grocery store Republicans have managers, who like to see cus- worse unemployment tomers, and remember the drop and lower income in food purchases back in 2009 and how it affected their bottom than the rest of the lines. But, the absence of logic is nation. the cognitive dissonance that is crippling Washington. In the rest of the nation, 11.2 million people are out looking for jobs, and millions of young people are forced to live in their parents’ basements while they are unable to find work. To most of America’s workers, it appears quite logical that if we could put millions of people to work, then the GDP would be bigger and the $439 billion income gap would grow smaller. And, to most people it would make sense that if those unemployed workers were getting paid, government spending on SNAP and extended unemployment benefits would fall and tax receipts would rise. So, the same voters who need jobs are busy rooting for their Tea Party representatives because the consensus is that the deficits caused by federal spending are the problem. Those same voters don’t see any irony in the fact that those same representatives who wasted $25 billion by shutting down the government would vote to “save” $40 billion in SNAP that would benefit children in those congressional districts. The real focus is all about the bigger fight to defeat President Barack Obama’s “wasteful spending.” To end this cognitive dissonance, President Obama needs to speak directly to the unemployed workers in those Tea Party districts. He needs to explain that since he took office in January 2009, government spending is down, federal employment is lower, the deficit as a share of the economy did shrink in half, the level of business investment in buildings and equipment are higher and the stock market and corporate profits are at record levels. This is what the Tea Party set out to achieve: grow the economy by making the rich richer and the government smaller. Ask those voters why 13 Republican House members who get government farm subsidies voted to keep their government subsidies but cut food to America’s children? As a result of the Tea Party policies, their voters are still unemployed. If we keep doing what we are doing and expect a different outcome, that isn’t just cognitive dissonance, it’s the definition of insanity. The way to restore America’s economic health is to focus on getting America back to work and raising America’s wages. The focus has to be closing the gap in potential GDP. We need to focus on the loss of teachers and our crumbling bridges and roads that will cause our investments to deteriorate and reduce potential economic growth. You can’t starve your way to economic growth and job creation. The president needs more faith in America’s common wisdom than in the pundits. The Banner welcomes your opinion. Email Op-Ed submissions to:
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Why do you think the Republicans are opposed to the President’s health care law?
I think they are trying to derail Obamacare, not because of the law itself, but because they’re trying to undermine the messenger. They would like him to have an unsuccessful legacy.
They don’t want him to succeed because they are racist. Take it from me. I left the Republican party many years ago.
It’s big money interests that coalesce around the Republican agenda. The insurance companies and medical profession see themselves losing out.
Lori Britton
John Kyper
Bill Jones
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They want to disrupt anything Obama and the Democrats are for so they can win in the 2016 election.
Jocelyn Leveille Graphic Designer Mattapan
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I think they are afraid of change.
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There’s a lot of reflexive opposition to the president’s agenda and leadership. It’s partisanship. It’s irrational.
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INthe news
Marie St. Fleur
Attorney and child advocate Marie St. Fleur has been named president and chief executive officer of the Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children. She will assume this role on Nov. 18. St. Fleur has served for the past three years in the cabinet of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino as chief of advocacy and strategic investment for the City of Boston. A former state representative, St. Fleur represented Boston’s 5th Suffolk District in the Massachusetts legislature from 1999 to 2010. “Marie St. Fleur has been a tireless advocate on behalf of children and families both at the State House and in City Hall,” Mayor Menino said. “Her thorough understanding of issues surrounding early childhood education and care, her ability to bring people together toward a common goal and her tireless enthusiasm will help to advance the vital work of The Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children.” Outgoing president Mary L. Reed said St. Fleur’s experience as
an attorney, lawmaker and senior leader in the Menino administration will help the initiative sharpen its research focus, advocate for change and expand outreach and communication to families, providers, policymakers and government agencies. “Marie is uniquely qualified to advance the agenda of the initiative in an era of increasingly complex local, state and federal mandates,” said Reed. “She will help us to continue to fight for improved services
and funding and to better the quality of early childhood education and care available to all children, regardless of income or neighborhood.” “Marie is a highly respected leader from the Boston community who has proven herself to be a tireless advocate on behalf of children,” said BTWIC Board Vice Chairman Maureen Alphonse Charles. She is the right person to lead the Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children at the right time.”
6 • Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
States opt to leave millions without health insurance Freddie Allen Even if healthcare.gov, the web portal for federal health insurance exchange, worked perfectly, more than 5 million poor, uninsured adults, many of them black, will continue to go without coverage, because they live in states that didn’t expand Medicaid, according to a recent brief by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Through the Affordable Care Act, the federal government agreed to pay 100 percent of the cost of the Medicaid expansion through 2016 and at least 90 percent through 2020. The Obama administration planned for nationwide expansion of Medicaid, the health insurance program that covers the poor and disabled, setting the Medicaid income eligibility at 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or roughly $27,000 for a family of three. In June 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that states could decide whether they want to expand Medicaid. According to the Kaiser Commission, more than half of states, a majority in the southeast, decided not to expand Medicaid. That decision created a coverage gap affecting 27 percent of uninsured adults. “A fifth of people in the coverage gap reside in Texas, which has both a large uninsured population and very limited Medicaid eligi-
bility. Fifteen percent live in Florida, 8 percent in Georgia, 6 percent live in North Carolina, and another 6 percent live in Ohio,” the Kaiser Commission brief said. More than half of all blacks live in eight states: Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, California, North Carolina, Illinois, and Maryland. According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, “The largest uninsured non-elderly black populations reside in Florida (718,800), Texas (613,100), and Georgia (594,600). In addition, Blacks comprise a large share of the uninsured population in the District of Columbia (52 percent), Mississippi (48 percent) and Louisiana (42 percent).” Florida, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana chose not to expand Medicaid leaving billions of dollars unspent, forcing many of their citizens to either go without health insurance or to sign up for health insurance on the federal-facilitated marketplace. Because 40 percent of all blacks are under the age 26, compared with 30 percent of whites, the very people needed to make the health care formula work may be less inclined to participate. According to the Kaiser Commission brief, “With many states opting not to implement the Medicaid expansion, millions of adults will remain outside the reach of the
ACA and continue to have limited, if any, option for health coverage: most do not have access to employer-based coverage through a job, few can afford coverage on their own, and most are currently ineligible for public coverage in their state.” The brief continued: “While a small share may be eligible to purchase subsidized coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplaces, most have incomes below the poverty level and thus will be ineligible for these premium tax credits.” During a Webinar for journalists, Rachel Garfield, senior researcher Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, said that in all states there are people who will continue to be uninsured, because of their immigration status, people who opt to pay the penalty, or people who are exempt from the penalty. “One of the things that’s very important to keep in mind, as the law is unfolding is how is outreach working, are people aware of their coverage options — do they understand their coverage options,” said Garfield. “We are going to continue to shine a light on who is being left out and who is falling between the gaps for various reasons.” This article originally published in the November 4, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
Harvard University professors Henry Louis “Skip” Gates and Marcyliena Morgan hosted a dinner in celebration of the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship, jointly announced by the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute and the Hiphop Archive. Professor Morgan hosted guests, including Nasir “Nas” Jones, Henry Gates Jr., author Jamaica Kincaid and professors Lawrence D. Bobo, Ingrid Monson and Tommie Shelby, at her home in Cambridge on October 31. (From left): Harvard professor Lawrence D. Bobo, Nasir “Nas” Jones, Harvard professor and author Jamaica Kincaid, Harvard professor and director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute Henry Louis Gates Jr.
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Obama
continued from page 1
Obama’s speech, held in the same hall where former Gov. Mitt Romney signed the Massachusetts health care reform legislation into law in 2006, was meant to underscore the success of health care reform here. Currently 97 percent of Massachusetts residents now have health care. And, as Obama pointed out, opponents of the Massachusetts law used many of the same arguments opponents of the Affordable Care Act are using now. “By the way, all the worst predictions about health care in Massachusetts never came true,” he said. “They’re the same arguments you’re hearing now.” Following Obama’s Boston speech, former Mass. Governor and 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney went on the attack, arguing that the Massachusetts health care legislation he signed into law in 2006 should not be imposed on the whole country. At the same time, Gov. Patrick has been hitting the airwaves in defense of the affordable care act, arguing that “Health care reform is working for the people of Massachusetts and it will work for the people of America.” Patrick told the gathering at Faneuil Hall that the benefits of health care reform far outweigh the
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initial difficulties of implementation. “Health care reform is not a website,” he said. “It’s a values statement.” In Massachusetts, 97 percent of the population now has health care. Nationally, that figure is 85 percent. On stage with the president in Faneuil Hall were many of the architects of the Massachusetts law, including representatives of Health Care for All, a Boston-based health advocacy group. Brian Rossman, research director for HCFA, says he’s confident the national health care law will be a success. “What we heard was the president’s commitment to fixing problem areas and keeping his eye on the prize of getting everyone covered,” said Rossman, who was among many HCFA staff who attended the speech.
President Obama mounts his defense of the Affordable Care Act during an address at Faneuil Hall last week. (Yawu Miller photo)
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Sox
continued from page 1
can in the major leagues and a star with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Red Sox general manager Joe Cronin later passed on a chance to pick up a young phenom named Willie May from the Birmingham Black Barons for the Filene’s Basement discount price of $5,000. In 1959, the Boston Red Sox, owned by South Carolinian Tom Yawkey, became the last team in baseball to integrate, and, perhaps not coincidentally, the one to suffer nearly the longest drought without a world title. The contrast between the antebellum era of the Yawkey regime and the current team could not have been clearer as the eruption at Fenway Park — and in a million living rooms across Red Sox
Japanese closer Koji Uehara to 21-year-old Aruban shortstop Xander Bogaerts. While opening up the team, the management has also opened up the ballpark to a broader spectrum of fans. The low point came in 1986, after coach and former Red Sox player Tommy Harper sued the team after getting fired for criticizing the Yawkey Way management for adopting a whites-only Elks Club in Winter Haven, Fla., as their unofficial watering hole. Harper complained that as far back as 1967, the team was handing out passes to the segregated club to only white players. Harper’s dismissal took place one week before Christmas and less than a decade after the team signed an agreement with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to hire more black players, managers,
“It’s never been about the curse of the Bambino. It was the curse of Yawkey’s racism. If they had hired a few black players, they could have done a lot better.” — Rep. Byron Rushing Nation — took place in the final hour of a balmy October night on the cusp of Halloween. The undisputed star of the series was David “Big Papi” Ortiz, a Dominican of African descent, who has given more on and off the field to the fans of Boston than perhaps any player in the history of the carmine crew. In the 6-1 series-clinching victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, Ortiz walked four times, a testament to the power of his bat during his MVP post-season performance, which included hitting .688 in the series and sending a line-drive grand slam over the wall in a key pennant win over the Detroit Tigers. Ortiz starred in the 2004 and 2007 championships as well. In becoming the face of the bearded Red Sox — whether at the plate, at the bodegas and barbershops of Jamaica Plain, or at scores of charity events — the massive designated hitter with the infectious smile has pushed to the background the resentment of fans from communities of color towards a team that for years was run more like a plantation than a professional sports franchise. Under current owner John Henry, who helped register black voters in the South in the 1960s, the Sox have a racially diverse line-up, ranging from star
coaches, grounds crew and ticket takers. Harper’s suit was settled out of court just a few months after the Sox lost the World Series to the New York Mets. The irony for the Red Sox is that while the team is more open to fielding African-American players, fewer black athletes are opting for baseball. During the World Series, Boston’s utility outfielder Quintin Berry was the only black player on either roster. Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree, a high-school baseball star on his Merced, Cal., team and a Red Sox season-ticket holder for over a decade, says he was shocked by the paucity of black players on the field during the series. “On Jackie Robinson Day every April 15, when every player wears number 42, we must honor the memory of this baseball pioneer with more than just symbolism,” says Ogletree, adding that current initiatives to lure more black kids into baseball aren’t enough. “Boston was the last to hire an African-American player and should take the lead in making sure more black players are on the field in the major leagues.” Dominican-born restaurateur Hector Pena arrived in Boston the same year Harper sued the Sox. Few black fans sat in the
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bleachers at the games in those days. Violence against black fans dating from the volatile busing years in Boston had faded but few saw a welcome mat at the park for spectators of color. That began to change in the ‘90s, he says, with the arrival of star Dominican players like Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez, who patronized his eateries in the South End and Roxbury. In 2002, the Yawkey Family Trust sold the Red Sox, ending the family’s ownership of the team. In 2004, the team won its first World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Slugger Manny Ramirez was named Most Valuable Player. “The Curse of the Bambino,” said to have descended over Fenway after team owner Harry Frazee sold star pitcher Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919, was lifted with the end of the 86-year World Series drought. By the time of the second Red Sox title of the century, in 2007, Fenway Park had become a different place — fan-friendlier, cleaner, more diverse, and, yes, more expensive. “Now there is a big connection to the community,” Pena says. “People feel inspired to go.” Other changes have taken place as well. Tommy Harper is now a consultant with the Red Sox. African-American coaches lead teams from the dugout. A black man sits in the White House and another leads Massachusetts from the corner office at the State House. And the two Irish-American candidates for mayor of Boston vied with one another in the home stretch of the campaign to see who could most fervidly denounce institutional racism in the
David Ortiz was named most valuable player for the 2013 World Series. (Michael Ivins/ Boston Red Sox photo) Boston Police Department. Meanwhile, Ortiz has entered a rarified world for Boston sports heroes. The novelty of a black Dominican having reached those heights with a team that not so long ago was notoriously racist hasn’t escaped Pena. Nor has it eluded state Rep. Byron Rushing. The South End
lawmaker and historian says the change is long overdue. “It’s never been about the curse of the Bambino,” says Rushing. “It was the curse of Yawkey’s racism. If they had hired a few black players, they could have done a lot better.” Yawu Miller contributed to this report.
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Most starting to doubt any major immigration reform Aura Bogado October was a busy month on the streets for comprehensive immigration reform backers — but it was quiet in on the floor of the House. While pro-immigrant lawmakers and their supporters keep putting pressure on Congress to pass overhaul legislation, record-setting numbers of detentions and deportations of immigrants continue. But so do actions that challenge the way immigrant communities are targeted.
Thousands of people in about 150 cities participated in mobilizations on October 5, calling for Republicans to move forward on the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill. That was followed by a civil disobedience in Washington, D.C., on October 8, in which 200 people were arrested — including eight members of Congress. President Obama has also spent a good amount of time talking about immigration: Immediately after the debt crisis was averted in October,
Spike Lee, famed producer, director and actor addresses a crowd of more than 1,000 as keynote speaker at the annual ABCD GALA. Friends and supporters at the Action for Boston Community Development fundraiser also enjoyed a stellar performance by American Idol celebrity, Angie Miller, and hit the floor dancing when R&B Motown favorites, The Spinners, took the stage. (Don West photo)
MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Legal Notice
Request for Proposals for Real Estate Services The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is requesting proposals to provide Asset Management, Property Disposition, and Consulting Services (“Real Estate Services”), for a base period beginning August 1, 2014 through July 31, 2019, with associated Transition activities beginning on May 1, 2014 to ensure the successful implementation of services, and for a two-year option period beginning August 1, 2019 through July 31, 2021. Proposal documents may be obtained electronically via www. mbta.com/business_center/bidding_solicitations. All documents, amendments, questions, and responses to questions will be published on the MBTA web site. Proposals Re: RFP Bid Number: 179-13 for Real Estate Services for FY15-FY19 must be received at the Materials Department, Room 2810, 2nd Floor, Ten Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, by 2:00 P.M. on: December 16, 2013. A Proposer Conference will be held on November 15th, 2013, at 11 a.m. in the MBTA Board Room, Ten Park Plaza, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116.
the president made clear, through a series of statements and interviews, that immigration was once again a priority. And time and time again, Obama has squarely put the onus on the House Republicans that he says won’t give comprehensive immigration reform a chance to go through. But its Obama’s own administration, and not Republican lawmakers, that has deported a record number of immigrants. And activists are also taking that record to task. About 250 people converged in Arizona in mid October to participate in a series of direct actions aimed at shutting down Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. After returning home from Arizona, activists in San Francisco were inspired to block a deportation bus — all the while calling on Obama to put an end to deportations. It’s rumored that similar actions to stop ICE in its deportation tracks — at least temporarily — are being planned. October also drew attention to the so-called Dream 30, the group of undocumented youth who very publicly crossed the port of entry at Laredo, Texas. A total of 35 people crossed on September 30. Several of them — including a toddler who is a U.S.-born citizen, and her mother, an immigrant originally from Honduras — were released almost immediately. The rest of the minors and their parents were soon released as well. Last week, an additional 11 from the group were released, but 13 more remain in detention in El Paso. One activist, Rocio Hernandez, was deported to Mexico. Hernandez was just 4 years old when she arrived in North Carolina from Veracruz, Mexico. She was accepted to Eastern Carolina University, but the state requires undocumented students to pay international tuition rates. “It’s usually $7,000 a semester, but that went up to $15,000 a semester because of my status,” Hernandez explained by
phone from Mexico, the day after her deportation. She was unable to apply for federal aid because of her status, and found few scholarships that fit her needs. At 19, Hernandez decided to return to Mexico, despite the fact that she had spent nearly her entire life in the U.S. She enrolled in school, but soon got a taste of rising violence. Her home was broken into. An aunt was kidnapped and held for ransom — only to be followed by the kidnapping of an uncle as well. About a month ago, Rocio Hernandez thought she’d be coming home to the U.S. She had heard about a group of about 30 undocumented youth who were set to cross the border and ask for asylum, and she dropped everything she was doing to join. Hernandez was already familiar with the Dream 9, a group
“Everyone seems to care about immigration, but no one seems to actually do anything about it.” — Rep. Luis Gutiérrez of undocumented people — mostly youth — who dared the same thing earlier in the summer, and were all released from detention in about three weeks. The outcome is already very different this time around, with Hernandez’s request to move forward on an asylum claim already denied. “One of the reasons this action is turning out so different is that three of the Dream 9 were well known organizers in the U.S., and were able to engage their existing networks here,” explains attorney David Bennion, who’s representing the individuals involved in the Dream 30 action. Those who have been released are making their way to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the release of the rest of their group. One of the advocates is Israel Rodríguez, one of the Dream 30 who gathered with others in Mexico before going into detention. He says he went into shock when he heard the news that Hernandez had been deported. He heard about the deporta-
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tion while he was at a hospital where authorities had taken him in an attempt to force feed him; he’d been on a hunger strike protesting his detention. And although Rodríguez is now headed to Washington to pressure lawmakers into stepping up their efforts to help secure the release of the remaining 13, he’s skeptical. Representative Luis Gutiérrez, D-Ill., has released a clear statement in support of the Dream 30, and has met with their family members, but Rodríguez says the representative hasn’t been supportive enough — Hernandez’s deportation alone is proof of that, he offers. “Our lives hang in limbo,” says Rodríguez. “Everyone seems to care about immigration, but no one seems to actually do anything about it.” Meanwhile, the call for a major overhaul is starting to change on
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Capitol Hill. “There won’t be a big comprehensive bill,” concedes Douglas Rivlin, who heads communications for Rep. Gutiérrez. It’s a surprising statement from Gutiérrez’s office, which has backed one big immigration bill for years. “It might be five, six, seven, eight bills,” explains Rivlin, referring to a series of piecemeal bills that Democrats have long said are not the solution for the nation’s immigration problem. But he adds that he’s skeptical about who will be left out of the bills and remain undocumented and therefore deportable. The much-touted Senate bill, however, was only ever going to grant U.S. citizenship to about half of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. And some Republicans have liked that all along. In April, Ralph Reed, whose name is synonymous with right-wing conservatism, debated against the idea that Republicans should seize the center: “I mean, if you read this comprehensive immigration proposal that was released this morning, it has the toughest enforcement and border security measures in U.S. history. If you entered this country illegally, the soonest you can get a green card is 13 years – the soonest. For many, it’ll be 20 years.” When Gutiérrez’s communications director Rivlin indicates that piecemeal legislation may be worse for the prospects of some 11 million immigrants than what Reed describes, the picture that develops isn’t a very hopeful one. And, despite Rivlin’s expectation that immigration will finally be tackled in December, it’s unclear that there’s enough political will left in Washington to move forward. That lack of political will on Capitol Hill translates into demoralization on the part of some organizers — many of them undocumented immigrants themselves. Speaking loosely, but always under the condition of anonymity, some advocates and activists involved with every major action in the last month have admitted to feeling disheartened that anything will substantively change. Nevertheless, the push to change the way the immigration system operates — whether that’s on the streets, in detention centers or in the halls of Congress — will continue for what’s left for 2013. Colorlines
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y^ Holida ide Shopping Gu
Kassmin Williams
some hub organizations will be The phrase “shop until you drop” may together, holiday shopping markets this fall short in describing the exhaustion felt holding as an alternative way to shop for after a trip to the mall during the holiday winter gifts. shopping season. Discover y Roxbury, WWMI Events and Crowded stores, long lines and short the Dorchester Arts Collaborative are a tempers are inevitable. few of the organizations hosting holiday For those who may be looking to take shopping events in December. a break from the madness or avoid it al-
Artsrox! Holiday Pop-Up Shop
Holiday Artmarket
Discovery Roxbury will kick off its ArtRox! Holiday Pop-Up Shop at noon Friday, Dec. 6 at 2201 Washington Street in Dudley Square. The event will feature fine arts, crafts and designs created by vendors in the Greater Roxbury area. The pop-up shop opens for business from noon to 5 p.m., Friday thru Tuesday, with the last day of the event on Dec. 24. Items sold during the event will fit a wide-range of budgets and tastes.
On the weekend of, Dec. 7 to Dec. 8, Dorchester Arts Collaborative is sponsoring Holiday ArtMarket. The event is from noon to 5 p.m. at The Erick Jeane Center for The Arts at 157A Washington Street in Dorchester. Shoppers can purchase reasonably priced gifts, cards and holiday décor during the event. The event will also feature a table for children to shop for gifts.
For more information, visit discoverroxbury.org and click on “Holiday Pop-Up Shop” under the “Annual Events” tab.
For more information, visit facebook.com/ DorchesterArtsCollaborative.
The Holiday Bazaar/Festival In The City WWMI Events is calling all to its family-friendly shopping event at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. The Holiday Bazaar/Festival in the City is being held at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury and will include over 35 businesses for shopping. There will also be games and activities for children, raffles and a photo booth. Admission is free for the event.
For updates, visit facebook.com/wwmievents.
(Top) An apron designed by Lynda Hester. (Left) Janeen St. Louis and her jewelry. (Photos courtesy of Discover Roxbury)
SoWa Holiday Market On Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15, SoWa, which stands for South of Washington, is holding its annual holiday market. Open from noon to 6 p.m. on both days, the event will be held in the main building of the Benjamin Franklin Institute in the South End. The annual market features independent designers, artists and crafters from across New England. Admission is $5 for those 12 and older. Anyone under 12 is free.
For more information, visit sowaholidaymarket.com.
Downtown Crossing Holiday Market
For an earlier start on Christmas shopping, head to the Downtown Crossing Holiday Market, which will kick off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Summer Street Plaza. Attendees will be able to choose from a wide-range of gift ideas created by locals, including jewelry makers, gourmet food makers, sculptors, photographers and woodcarvers. After the start date, the market will open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit downtownboston.org.
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intheMix with Colette Greenstein
with Colette
Party with a Purpose ...
Ron Isley of The Isley Brothers on stage at the annual Steppin’ Out for The Dimock Center fundraiser on Nov. 2. (Marilyn Humphries photos)
One of the hottest events of the year was the sold out 26th Annual Steppin’ Out for The Dimock Center fundraiser held at the Westin Copley Place Hotel on Nov. 2. It was a magical evening filled with music, mingling and dancing, as the nearly 1,000 guests from the worlds of business, the arts and politics collided in support of The Dimock Center. The evening kicked off with a VIP reception, a silent auction, and jazz music by the David Ehle Trio. Guests were serenaded
The 26th Anniversary of Steppin’ Out for The Dimock Center took place on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Westin Copley Place Hotel with almost 1,000 guests in attendance. The Dimock Center’s annual fundraiser featured live musical performances from The Isley Brothers, The Family Stone, Kid Capri, Manolo Mairena & Curubande along with a Community Artists Showcase featuring Marcela Cruz, Offiong Bassey and Ederson. Attendees in the American Ballroom “twist and shout” during The Isley Brothers performance.
by rising stars, vocalist Marcela Cruz, R&B singer Ederson and singer/songwriter and poet Offiong Bassey, as they scouted the room for friends and placed bids on silent auction items. And, there were definitely some great items up for grabs from the Carmel leather handbag by Kooba and the John Hardy gold and silver oval bracelet to the Diane von Furstenberg Fig/ Black Rabbit Fur Snood. Two of the fashion trends of the night on the women were lace dresses (mostly in black), and jewel-toned evening wear in vibrant shades of red, purple, and blue. And, let’s not forget the men who looked debonair and very “GQ” in their tuxes and suits. Everyone shone so brightly both figuratively and literally as flashes of cameras and camera phones lit up the red carpet. One of the best parts of the gala was the performance by headliners and R&B icons The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald & Ernie Isley. They rocked the house and got the roomful of guests up on their feet and dancing to some of their classic songs like “Voyage to Atlantis,” “Twist & Shout,” and “Between the Sheets.” Later that night, The Family Stone took to the stage and wowed the crowd with their performance and DJ Kid Capri capped off the evening spinning hip hop, reggae and R&B. As the evening gave way to morning, the crowd still showed they
weren’t ready for the night to end when Kid Capri spun B.B.D.’s “Poison” and the crowd jammed on the dance floor. It was a night of “steppin’ out” indeed!
Coming Up….
“Mastermind Tour” starring hip hop artist Rick Ross lands at the Orpheum Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. Tickets: $39.50 in advance. The Sinclair presents the incomparable Macy Gray on Friday, Nov. 15 at 9 p.m. The event is 18 and over. Tickets: $40 in advance/$45 day of show. Also on Friday, comedian George Lopez will perform two shows at The Wilbur at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Denis Leary presents his annual fundraiser Comics Come Home 19 at the Agganis Arena on Saturday, Nov. 16 featuring comedians Jimmy Fallon, Tracy Morgan, Robert Kelly, Gary Gulman and more. Show time: 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $40, $65 and $125. On Sunday, Nov. 17 it’s “The Yeezus Tour” with headliner Kanye West and special guest Kendrick Lamar at the TD Garden. Show time: 7 p.m. Tickets: $39.50 to $199.50. To purchase tickets for all these events, visit www.ticketma ster.com. If you would like me to cover or write about your event, email me at inthemixwithcolette@gmail.com.
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Step
Afrika! visits Boston for a colorful three-night run
Kassmin Williams Professional stepping company Step Afrika! is bringing the noise to the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College and the company expects the audience to return the favor. Step Afrika! founder C. Brian Williams describes the company’s performance style as interactive where audience members don’t have to sit quiet and wait for the right moment to applaud. “We want the audience to clap, cheer and make as much noise as possible because that energy will drive the performance,” Williams said. Step Afrika! will be performing at Emerson on Nov. 7, Nov. 8 and Nov. 9. To go along with the beating of drums, Step Afrika! performers will use their bodies to create the music they move to throughout the show. The energetic performance pulls from the stepping style of African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dance and other various art forms, Williams said. “Our performance is really focused on an art form that is about 100 years old, but most people in
America didn’t know [stepping] existed until 30 years ago at most. It’s a relatively young art form in terms of American awareness but it has its history. It’s rooted in American history,” Williams said. “Step Afrika! has really been studying this tradition and connecting it with other cultures. Not just African culture, but different art forms, different artists so we’re glad to bring our production to Boston this year.” While Step Afrika! has performed at universities and colleges and with other programs in and around the city, this performance marks the company’s first major production in the city. Williams founded the performance company based in Washington, D.C., in 1994 as the first professional dance company dedicated to traditional stepping, according to stepafrika.org. Williams came up with the concept for Step Afrika! after receiving a fellowship that allowed him to live and work in a small country in the center of South Africa, called Lesotho, for a year after graduating from Howard University. Step, continued to page 18
Step Afrika! will showcase its stepping style of dance with three nights of performances from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9 at Emerson College’s Cutler Majestic Theatre. The professional dance company was formed in 1994 in Washington, D.C. (Photos courtesy of The Napolean Complex Project)
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Marsalis nears greatness with his ‘Abyssinian Mass’ Kevin C. Peterson Midway through the “Abyssinian Mass: A Gospel Celebration,” composed by jazz master Wynton Marsalis and performed recently at Boston Symphony Hall, it becomes clear that this epic homage to black sacred music nears a certain greatness.
A sprawling and densely fashioned work intended to mine the great trove of sacred songs and hymns created by blacks in America over the course of three centuries, Abyssinian is a craftily delivered spiritual drama of exacting and moving quality. It is a highly refined musical depiction of the African-American imagina-
tion and tonal output developed around their relationship to deity, the Hebrew and New Testament scriptures and the Christian outlook handed down to them by white slaveowners. Superbly invoked are the elements of plantation praise songs, rolling spirituals from the 19th century, holy dirges, high octane
Pentecostal riffs, sanctified anthems, feet stomping, hand clapping, whistling and syncopated tambourine shaking — all giving documentation of the varied and rich dimensions that informs this music’s complex history. If sacred music aims to establish a communication between mortals and the divine, then black religious music in America meets this aspiration with verve and confidence. The characteristics of this music were on display on Oct. 27 at the Boston Symphony Hall, where Marsalis, who leads the Lincoln Center Orchestra, was accompanied by Damien Sneed’s 70-member choir, Chorale Le Chateau. Originally a composition commissioned by the Abyssinian Baptist church in Harlem for its 200th anniversary, the work was first issued and performed in 2008. It was revised and toured
Wynton Marsalis performed in Boston recently at Symphony Hall. throughout October in multiple cities, beginning in the south and ending in Boston. Few works of jazz have accomplished interpreting the sound and meaning of black religious music better than those produced by Duke Ellington in his Marsalis, continued to page 19
This Oct. 8, 2013 photo shows the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, center, Chorale Le Chateau, and conductor Damien Sneed, performing “Abyssinian Mass” at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. Marsalis has taken his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra all the way to China and Russia, but the trumpeter says its current “Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration Tour” is the most challenging in the band’s 25-year history. (Photo courtesy of Wynton Marsalis)
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Step Afrika! models its stepping dance routines after the stepping style of African American fraternities and sororities, traditional African dance and other art forms. (Photo courtesy of The Napolean Complex Project)
Step
continued from page 15
While there, he discovered the South African Gumboot Dance, which was formed by men who lived and worked in the mines in South Africa. The style brought him back to his time at Howard where he was introduced to the stepping tradition as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. “When I first saw the Gumboot Dance, I was shocked because it also uses your hands and feet to make music and create complex rhythms,” Williams said. “And to some degree, it’s also done mostly primarily by men, at least historically, and coming from a fraternity I felt lots of similarities. I was stunned by those similarities and more shocked that I’ve never been able to con-
nect with this art form.” The exposures to an unfamiliar dance style pushed Williams to create what he referred to as a “cultural exchange program” and educate the world about stepping. “Step Afrika! was my idea of how I would bring these two cultures together and as a result, the people,” Williams said. Williams called the connection between stepping and traditional African dance a major component of the show. However, the upcoming performances won’t solely focus on the traditional stepping and African Dance. Audience members can expect to see some contemporary styled dance to illustrate what Step Afrika! predicts stepping will look and sound like in the future. Tickets range from $25 to $65 and can be purchased online at www.artsemerson.org or by phone at 617-824-8400.
Nina LaNegra & The Roxbury Media Institute Present
“Art Is Life Itself!”
The Performance Series That Embraces Art, Culture & Spirituality
NOV 7: Fulani Haynes Jazz Collaborative Sit in and jam with the band! Program starts at 7pm - Open Mic after - Come early for Dinner! Haiti PeaceQuilts have returned for the Holidays! Join us for an Artists’ Reception on Nov 14th - 5:30-7pm
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Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 19
Marsalis
continued from page 16
concerts from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Ellington’s trilogy of sacred performances featured now iconic offerings such as “Come Sunday,” “In the Beginning God,” and “And Ninety Nine Percent.” The concerts demonstrated Ellington’s ability to cast in cadence and sentiment the nuances of spiritual aspiration
and a sense of community, cultural history and destination that black sacred music evokes. Marsalis’ Abyssinian is similarly ambitious and sweeping in its attempts to convey tragedy, achievement, joy, and melancholy — all core features of the black religious creedal experience. Matching the work’s ambition is its length and sheer complexity, consisting of 25 sections, performed by the Lincoln Center Orchestra, the choir and both si-
multaneously. The result is a spectacularly rendered presentation that clearly marks black church music as what it is: a canon of remarkable artistry that captures a wide-range of worship styles, inventions, feelings and hopes. Specific sections of Abyssinian stand out for their intricate beauty and innovation. “The Glory Train” astonishingly blends precisely enunciated vocals, syncopated hand clapping and the mix of trumpets, reed and percussion sections with emotive melodies and convincing storytelling about the anticipated afterlife in heaven. “Pastoral Prayer” begins with upbeat Pentecostal jubilation before resolving to full, lucid,
bluesy statements that reminds the listeners of the temporal disappointments that visit even the lives of believers in Christ. The middle section of Abyssinian features a three-part sermon paced to various sacred genre stylings created post World War I. And “Offertory” conveys the creative complexities that are signature to Marsalis’ writing, composition and deep understanding of pathos. Abyssinian is organized around the structure of the Catholic Sunday Mass. Yet its content reflect the refined elements of the music and devotional styling of the low and high church that Africans produced in America, ranging from the musical cadence
of the ring shout to the glorified sounding of the spirituals which were significantly based on European musical patterns. Highly eclectic, Abyssinian additionally possesses the juxtaposition of different music styles found over the world, ranging from Spanish melodies, African modal music, East African polyrhythms, Irish dance songs, Mediterranean folk melodies and West Indian chants. Abyssinian’s only shortcoming may be its length and the weighty cerebral effect it causes during the course of conveying so much information. For this Marsalis can be excused as he otherwise has created a substantive work to be thoroughly enjoyed.
Quilt Talk/Quilt Travel Quilts-Their Meaning and History How much do you know? FRIENDS OF THE DUDLEY LIBRARY Present
Renowned Fiber Artist L’Merchie Frazier
Who will discuss the meaning of quilts and fiber artworks in African American Culture.
This April 2008 photo shows the premiere of “Abyssinian 200,” performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, center, and the Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir in Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. It celebrates the 200th anniversary of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church. (Photo courtesy of Wynton Marsalis)
Thursday, November 14, 2013 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm Dudley Library Literacy Center 65 Warren Street Roxbury, MA Free and open to the public Light refreshments
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Viet-AID
continued from page 3
two-and-a-half years, but he has been on the organization’s board for 10 years and was involved with it from its launch, so he has seen the growth first hand. Viet-AID started with one staff member and now has 15 full-time staff employees, 30 part-time teachers for its education programs and about 100 volunteers, according to Pham. “When people think of Dorchester they may not get a fuzzy feeling – we want to change that,” Pham said. “We want to make it a nice place and a cultural hub and a business destination. We are still small, but even with our small organization we have still been able to make a difference and improve the neighborhood. The demand for our services keeps increasing.” Pham said Viet-AID’s leaders were thrilled to be singled out by the Dorchester House and a 20-person delegation from the organization attended the gala last week to receive the honor. According to Pham, it is the first community award Viet-AID has received. “We are very grateful and very humbled by the award,” he said. “We just try to do our best to make Field Corners the best place for everybody. We are grateful for any recognition for our contribution to our community.” At its annual gala, the Dorchester House also honored Fair Foods and Mt. Washington Bank. Fair Foods is a nonprofit organization that fights hunger in the area with food distribution services. According to the Dorches-
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ter House’s Ramos, Fair Foods has distributed 63 million pounds. Mt. Washington Bank, which first opened in Dorchester in 2002, has donated over $2 million to local community groups and was singled out for its philanthropic efforts, Ramos said. While the Dorchester House opened in 1887 as a settlement house to serve low-income residents and immigrants in Fields Corner, the organization grew to open a community health center in the 1970s. Today the health center offers a wide range of services including primary care, oral care, eye care, OB/GYN care, physical therapy, substance abuse programs and social services. According to Ramos, it is very important for the Dorchester House to work with other groups and organizations in the community, such as Viet-AID. For example, he said that many of the center’s patients are Vietnamese and working with Viet-AID helps Dorchester House stay in touch with the community so all know the services it provides. “I don’t think any of us could exist without the other institutions in the neighborhood,” Ramos said. “Each institution is another resource to help in the quality lives of people. To know that these institutions exist in the neighborhood is important to us.” Overall, Ramos was thrilled with the success of its annual gala and in particular the decision to honor other organizations and get them involved with the event. “It went very well. We were very, very pleased. We had over 300 people that attended so it was one of our larger events,” he said. “It made for a really wonderful evening.”
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Thursday, November November 7, 7, 2013 2013 •• BAY BAY STATE STATE BANNER BANNER •• 21 21 Thursday,
Walsh
continued from page 1
was criticized for its heavy reliance on organized labor, Veronica Turner, executive vice president at SEIU 1199, said the labor support was representative of the neighborhoods of Boston. “Labor are the folks who live in the community,” she said. “There’s no negative association. Labor is the
mothers, fathers, aunts, people on public assistance – the people in the community.” Walsh, a former leader of the Laborers Union and president of the Boston building trades organization, appealed to many with his working class roots. His victory was in many ways a repudiation of the city’s moneyed interests, which coalesced around Connolly. The race veered into class warfare when a union-backed organi-
zation distributed flyers stating that Connolly was a “child of privilege.” While Walsh disavowed the negative campaigning and publicly asked outside groups to refrain from defamation, many of his supporters sounded class-themes during interviews in the Park Plaza ballroom. “Walsh’s victory is a major defeat for the establishment,” said Calvin Feliciano, who works for SEIU Local 509. “Connolly got the high-powered help and Walsh got
the grassroots.” Although his Dorchester electoral base is worlds away from Roxbury, Walsh’s appeal cut deep into the black community, where unions like SEIU and Unite Here have been expanding their ranks, pulling in janitors, security guards and hotel workers. “Most of the people who live in our community are working class families,” said Aaron Jones, a political activist and former member of the Laborers Union. “Marty speaks
to working class issues.” In his victory speech, Walsh said he plans to bring equity to Boston’s neighborhoods, pledging to close the achievement gap between white students and students of color, provide universal kindergarten, support small businesses and work for safer streets. “Marty Walsh will be a champion of working people,” said former mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie. “When the tide rises, all boats will rise.”
(left) City councilor Felix G. Arroyo rallies Walsh supporters at the Park Plaza Hotel during state Rep. Marty Walsh’s campaign victory party. (right) Former state Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie addresses Walsh supporters. (Ernesto Arroyo photos)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU13D2265DR
contact (617) 573-1100 (TTY 617-573-1140), or email margaux.leclair@ state.ma.us. Written comments may be sent to 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA, 02114, Attn: Office of the General Counsel, or sent electronically to margaux.leclair@state.ma.us.
1B of the First Phase Project will have a maximum building height of 65 feet and up to 110,000 square feet of Gross Floor Area, including approximately 15,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and between 57 and 63 apartment units, as well as a new public plaza.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department
A copy of the petition, map of the area involved, the Master Plan, and the Phase I Development Plan may be viewed at the office of the Zoning Commission, Room 953C, Boston City Hall, between 9 AM and 5 PM any day except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.
Divorce Summons by Publication and Mailing Mame Armand
vs.
Joel Armand SUFFOLK Division
To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown of the marriage under G.L. c. 208, Section 1 B. The Complaint is on file at the Court. An Automatic Restraining Order has been entered in this matter preventing you from taking any action which would negatively impact the current financial status of either party. SEE Supplemental Probate Court Rule 411. You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon: Mame Armand, 468 Quincy St, #2, Dorchester, MA 02125-1146 your answer, if any, on or before 01/09/2014. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer, if any, in the office of the Register of this Court. Witness, Hon. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: October 23, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU12P2346EA Trust Citation In the matter of: Elise G Daniel
To all interested persons: A petition has been filed by Bertha Hilton of Schenectady, NY requesting the Court to Issue and Order in the form attached Confirming the Authority of the Personal Representative’s Appointment as Trustee of the Orthodontic Dental Lab and the conveyance of 51-55 Fairmount Avenue, Hyde Park, MA, from the Orthodontic Dental Lab Trust to the Estate of Elise G. Daniel. You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before 10:00 a.m. on 11/29/2013. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an Affidavit of Objections within thirty (30) days of the return date, action may be taken without further notice to you. WITNESS, HON. Joan P Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: October 25, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate DHCD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS Notice is hereby given of the proposed following action to be undertaken by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (“DHCD”) pursuant to 24 CFR part 91. DHCD has posted a Draft 2013 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (“AI”) available at http:// www.mass.gov/dhcd. DHCD will hold the following public hearings and will accept written comments on this Draft AI until December 3, 2013, prior to finalizing the AI: November 19, 2013, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM, 436 Dwight Street, Room B42, Springfield, MA, 01103; November 25, 2013, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM, 100 Cambridge Street, 2nd floor, Room D, Boston, MA, 02114. For reasonable accommodations regarding these hearings, please
DOCKET NO. SU13P2165PM
In the matter of: Barbara Lee Respondent (Person to be Protected/Minor) Of: Mattapan, MA
For the Commission, Jeffrey M. Hampton Executive Secretary MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY TRANSPORTATION BUILDING 10 PARK PLAZA BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02116-3975
CITATION GIVING NOTICE OF PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF CONSERVATOR OR OTHER PROTECTIVE ORDER PURSUANT TO G.L c. 190B, §5-304 & §5-405 To the named Respondent and all other interested persons, a petition has been filed by Roscommon Extended Care Center of Mattapan, MA in the above captioned matter alleging that Barbara Lee is in need of a Conservator or other protective order and requesting that Russell Lee of Stone Mountain, GA (or some other suitable person) be appointed as Conservator to serve Without Surety on the bond. The petition asks the court to determine that the Respondent is disabled, that a protective order or appointment of a Conservator is necessary, and that the proposed conservator is appropriate. The petition is on file with this court. You have the right to object to this proceeding. If you wish to do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance at this court on or before 10:00 A.M. on the return date of 11/14/2013. This day is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline date by which you have to file the written appearance if you object to the petition. If you fail to file the written appearance by the return date, action may be taken in this matter without further notice to you. In addition to filing the written appearance, you or your attorney must file a written affidavit stating the specific facts and grounds of your objection within 30 days after the return date. IMPORTANT NOTICE The outcome of this proceeding may limit or completely take away the above-named person’s right to make decisions about personal affairs or financial affairs or both. The above-named person has the right to ask for a lawyer. Anyone may make this request on behalf of the above-named person. If the above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed at State expense. Witness, Hon. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: September 10, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate ZONING HEARING The Zoning Commission of the City of Boston hereby gives notice, in accordance with Chapter 665 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, that a public hearing will be held on November 20, 2013, at 9:30 AM, in Room 900, Ninth Floor, Boston City Hall, in connection with Map Amendment Application No. 638 and a petition for approval of the Master Plan for Planned Development Area No. 94, Bartlett Place, Roxbury, (“Master Plan”) and the Phase I Development Plan within Planned Development Area No. 94, Bartlett Place (“Phase I Development Plan”) filed by the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Said map amendment would amend Map 6A/6B/6C, Roxbury Neighborhood District, by adding the designation “D”, indicating a Planned Development Area overlay district to approximately 8.59 acres located at 2565 Washington Street in Roxbury. The Master Plan for Bartlett Place envisions a phased development with four Proposed Projects taking place over a period commencing in 2014 and continuing through 2018 and comprising approximately 323 residential units, and approximately 54,000 square feet of commercial and retail space in the First Phase Project described in the Phase I Development Plan. The Phase I Development Plan proposes two phases to the Phase 1 Project. Phase 1A of the First Phase Project will reach a maximum building height of 55 feet and will include up to 125,000 square feet of Gross Floor Area, consisting of approximately 39,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and between 39 and 45 apartment units. Phase
NOTICE TO BIDDERS Electronic proposals for the following project will be received through the internet using Bid Express until the date and time stated below, and will be posted on www.bidx.com forthwith after the bid submission deadline. No paper copies of bids will be accepted. Bidders must have a valid digital ID issued by the Authority in order to bid on projects. Bidders need to apply for a digital ID with Bid Express at least 14 days prior to a scheduled bid opening date. Electronic bids for MBTA Contract No. B64CN01, REPAIR/REHABILITATION OF MERRIMACK RIVER AND WASHINGTON STREET BRIDGES, CITY OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, (CLASS 1 – GENERAL TRANSIT CONSTRUCTION and 4A – BRIDGES - STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURES, TOTAL PROJECT VALUE - $28,707,000), can be submitted at www.bidx.com until two o’clock (2:00 p.m.) on December 12, 2013. Immediately thereafter, in a designated room, the Bids will be opened and read publicly. Work consists of •
Repair/rehabilitation of the Merrimack River Bridge (BR. No. H-12061(A1F)), the North Approach Bridge (BR. No. H-12-061(749)) and the Washington Street Bridge (BR. No. H-12-029(857)). The superstructure work consists of, but not limited to, partial demolition, repair of deteriorated steel structural members, strengthening the existing structural members, replacing portions of existing superstructure, replacing existing bearings, replacing the deteriorated rivets, and painting of the superstructure. The substructure work consists of, but not limited to, substructure repair/strengthening and repointing/ grouting the mortar joints. Trackwork consists of, but not limited to, removal and reinstallation of existing bridge ties and replacing the existing jointed rail with continuous welded rail. Pavement milling and overlay and replacement of lighting fixtures at Washington Street Bridge area.
The DBE Goal is 16%. This Contract is subject to a financial assistance Contract between the MBTA and the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. FTA Participation 71.5 percent. The Authority has secured $10 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s TIGER Grant program. Additional information and instructions on how to submit a bid are available at http://www.mbta.com/business_center/bidding_solicitations/current_solicitations/ On behalf of the MBTA, thank you for your time and interest in responding to this Notice to Bidders Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Beverly A. Scott, Ph.D. MBTA General Manager and Rail and Transit Administrator Richard A. Davey MassDOT Secretary and CEO October 30, 2013
22 • Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
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Marshfield housing opportunity PURCHASE PROGRAM • ROUND 8-C
The Marshfield Housing Partnership is accepting additional applications from qualified applicants for grants to assist them in purchasing an existing market rate home or condominium in Marshfield. A deed restriction will be recorded on each unit purchased with a grant to secure affordability in perpetuity. 2 Bedroom
3, 4 and 5 Bedrooms
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
Council Tower
Rent based upon 30% of Income or 10% of Contract rent Residents must meet income and Eligibility requirements
Council Tower is an elderly, section 8/202 property and we are now accepting applications for Low Income Housing. Age, Income and other eligibility requirements apply.
Rockledge Apartments
MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNTS 1 Bedroom
Now accepting applications for 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units
11 Bartley Street Wakefield, MA 01880 781.246.1350
MAXIMUM HOUSE/CONDOMINIUM AMOUNTS
Please call 617-427-8194
for additional information and to request an application.
BEDROOMS
SALE PRICE
MAXIMUM GRANT
NET PRICE AFTER GRANT
1 BR Condo
$194,000
$60,000
$134,000
1 BR House
$225,000
$60,000
$165,000
2 BR Condo
$230,000
$80,000
$150,000
2 BR House
$266,000
$80,000
$186,000
3 BR Condo
$272,000
$100,000
$172,000
3 BR House
$306,000
$100,000
$206,000
subscribe to the banner
4 BR House
$322,000
$100,000
$222,000
call (617) 261-4600
5 BR House
$340,000
$100,000
$240,000
TDD: 711 National Voice Relay
MAXIMUM ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME 1 Person
2 Person
3 Person
4 Person
5 Person
6 Person
7 Person
8 Person
9 or more
$47,150
$53,900
$60,650
$67,350
$72,750
$78,150
$83,550
$89,950
Please call
Subject to periodic change by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Net family assets may not exceed $75,000. Households interested in applying should attend one of the two informational sessions being provided. Informational sessions will be held at the following locations: Thursday, November 14, 2013, 7:00 PM: Hearing Room # 2, Marshfield Town Hall, 870 Moraine Street, Marshfield Saturday, November 16, 2013 10:00 AM: Hearing Room # 2, Marshfield Town Hall, 870 Moraine Street, Marshfield A lottery will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2013 at 7:00 PM at the Marshfield Town Hall, Hearing Room # 2, to select grant recipients. Successful grant recipients are required to have at least one family member attend and complete a Homebuyer Education Workshop For additional information or to receive an application please contact either the Marshfield Housing Authority (781-834-4333) or the Marshfield Housing Coordinator: (781-834-1051). Applications are also available at the Marshfield Town Hall. All applications must be received and date stamped by the Marshfield Housing Authority no later than 12:00 PM (Noon) on Friday, December 6, 2013. Marshfield Housing Authority, 12 Tea Rock Gardens, Marshfield, MA 02050 MHOPP Funding was made possible by the Town’s adoption of the Community Preservation Act
TDD: (617) 469-5800
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Thursday, November 7, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23
OFFICE
SPACE
Wollaston Manor 91 Clay Street Quincy, MA 02170
DORCHESTER/ MILTON
Senior Living At It’s Best
1st Class Office Space ample parking.
A senior/disabled/ handicapped community
$375/mo. $695/mo. $1000/mo. $1395/mo. heated
OWNER
617-835-6373 Brokers Welcome
0 BR units = $1,027/mo 1 BR units = $1,101/mo All utilities included.
Call Sandy Miller, Property Manager
#888-691-4301
Program Restrictions Apply.
Parker Hill Apartments The Style, Comfort and Convenience you Deserve! Heat and Hot Water Always Included Modern Laundry Facilities Private Balconies / Some with City Views Plush wall to wall carpet Adjacent to New England Baptist Hospital Secured Entry, Elevator Convenience Private Parking Near Public Transportation and much more ...
2 bed - $1264-$1900; 1 bed $1058-$1500 Call Today for more details and to schedule a visit...
ADVERTISE
your classifieds
(617) 261-4600 x 7799
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CHELSEA APARTMENT
4+ bdrms Newly renovated, 2000+ sq ft apt in 3 fam, no smkng/pets, hrdwd flrs, eat-in kit, pantry, lg master bedroom, din and lv rm, laundry rm, enclosed frnt/bck prchs, off street prkng, T access, min to Bost. Sec 8 OK
617-283-2081 Hanson HOUSING AUTHORITY Hanson, MA
ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPENING OF the Federal Public Housing WAITING LIST The Hanson Housing Authority (HHA) will make applications available for the purpose of expanding its 4 bedroom waiting list for property assisted under the HHA’s Federal Public Housing Program. The list for Federal Public Housing wait list for 4 bedroom units will open October 29 , 2013, and remain open for a 3 week period until November 19, 2013. All applications submitted during this 3 week period will be placed in a lottery. The waiting list will close on November 19, 2013. Following the lottery assignment all applicants will be notified by mail of their placement on the waiting list. Applicants will be selected from the Wait List based on lottery assignment and eligibility for the correct bedroom size (based on family composition). To be eligible for Federal Public Housing Assistance, applicants must have an income of $47,150 or less for family of one; $53,900 or less for family of two; $60,650 or less for family of three ; $67,350 or less for family of four; $72,750 or less for family of five; $78,150 or less for a family of six . You may obtain a Federal public housing application at the HHA Administrative Office , 80 Meeting House Lane, Hanson, MA on or after October 30, 2013. Or Monday – Thursday 9:30 am – 4 pm, or by calling 781-293-7474 to request that an application be mailed directly to you. Hanson AUTORIDAD DE LA VIVIENDA Hanson, MA
ANUNCIO de apertura de la Vivienda Pública Federal LISTA DE ESPERA La Autoridad de Vivienda de Hanson ( HHA ) hará que las aplicaciones estén disponibles con el fin de ampliar su lista de 4 dormitorios esperar propiedad asistidos bajo el Programa de Vivienda Pública Federal de la HHA .
If you or anyone in your family is a person with a disability and you require a specific accommodation in order to request or submit any of Hanson Housing Authority’s applications, please contact the HHA at 781-293-7474 to make any necessary arrangements and someone contact you The Hanson Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Housing Provider and a Drug-Free Workplace
La lista para la lista de espera de Vivienda Pública Federal para 4 unidades de un dormitorio se abrirá 29 de octubre 2013, y seguirá abierto durante un período de 3 semanas hasta noviembre 19, 2013. Todas las solicitudes presentadas durante el período de 3 semanas se colocarán en una lotería. La lista de espera se cerrará el 19 de noviembre de 2013. Después de la asignación de la lotería todos los solicitantes serán notificados por correo de su colocación en la lista de espera. Los solicitantes serán seleccionados de la lista de espera basado en la asignación de lotería y la elegibilidad para el tamaño de la habitación correcta ( basado en la composición de la familia ).
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is seeking a qualified candidate for the following maintenance position:
ENGINEER
The Engineer will provide technical assistance to the Heavy Rail Subway Maintenance Department and participate as a key member of project management teams for Subway Engineering procurements for new equipment and overhaul projects. For a complete job description, a printable application or to apply online, please visit the MBTA’s Career Opportunities page at www.mbta.com or forward their resume and application to the Human Resources Directorate, Attention: M. Dunderdale, 10 Park Plaza, Room 4810, Boston, MA 02116, or fax to (617) 222-4767 or (617) 222-4219, no later than 11:59 p.m., Thursday, November 14, 2013. The MBTA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
CODMAN SQUARE NDC
SYSTEMS AND DATABASE MANAGER Senior level, experienced, organized and methodical person capable of working collaboratively, across multiple lines of business/departments, to coordinate the development, implementation and maintenance of policies and procedures and to develop appropriate systems, protocols and forms in support of achieving of organizational goals and objectives sought. Position is key to providing parameters for decision making, meeting regulatory, legal, contractual and other requirements and increasing efficacy and efficiency at the departmental and programmatic goal level. This position provides all staff and the Board with an understanding of the “ways of doing things” within CSNDC. Systems, policies and procedures developed may be agency-wide or departmentally specific. Also support the development of databases, at the departmental and agency-wide levels, that will facilitate staff and Board understanding of who CSNDC serves and the outcomes and impact these services have on clientele. Bachelors or Masters degree in Business, Management, Information Technology or related field, with at least 5 years of relevant experience, including demonstrated experience developing policies, procedures, systems and databases required. Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including Excel, Access, or other spreadsheet and database management programs or software required. Proven experience in achieving results, working in tandem with a diverse senior management team also required. Must have excellent organizational skills, keen listening skills as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills. Send cover letter and resumes, with salary requirements to gail@csndc.com or Gail Latimore, Executive Director, Codman Square NDC, 587 Washington St, Dorchester, MA 02124 by November 22, 2013. No phone calls please.
Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc. is an employee owned, mid-size national consulting engineering firm with offices in the Northeast, Florida and the Virgin Islands, has the following opportunities in our Manchester, New Hampshire office:
SENIOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER/PM Professional engineer with at least 15 years of proven experience in the preparation of state agency, municipal roadway and traffic engineering projects. Must demonstrate successful performance in the oversight of all aspects of roadway design, layout, and plan preparation with sufficient knowledge of environmental permitting processes to progress a design. Past utilities relocation coordination experience along urban corridors required. Must have construction contract management administration experience and demonstrated prior experience with successful oversight of plan production staff. Roadway design drawing software experience using MicroStation and In-Roads or AutoCAD and Civil 3D required. Proficiency with MS Project, Suretrak, MS Office, HydroCAD, Storm and Sanitary, Syncro and StormCAD a plus. BSCE with PE required. (Career Code: TMC11013)
MARKETING INTERN
Para ser elegible para asistencia federal para vivienda pública, los solicitantes deben tener un ingreso de $ 47,150 o menos para la familia de uno, $ 53,900 o menos para una familia de dos, $ 60.650 o menos para una familia de tres, $ 67.350 o menos para una familia de cuatro, 72.750 dólares o menos para una familia de cinco, $ 78.150 o menos para una familia de seis personas .
Part time temporary intern to assist the Marketing Department in a variety of areas including technical writing, preparation of promotion materials, proof reading, etc. Familiarity with MS Word necessary. Ideal candidate will possess Bachelor’s degree with a concentration in English and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. MBA candidate preferred. (Career Code: JEP11113)
Usted puede obtener una solicitud federal para la vivienda pública en la Oficina Administrativa HHA , 80 Meeting House Lane, Hanson, MA a partir del 30 de octubre 2013 . O Lunes - Jueves 9:30 am - 16:00, o llamando al 781-293-7474 para solicitar que una solicitud sea enviada directamente a usted.
Send resume citing Career Code to: HOYLE, TANNER & ASSOCIATES, INC., 150 Dow Street, Manchester, NH 03101 or via e-mail to jhann@hoyletanner.com
Si usted o alguien en su familia es una persona con una discapacidad y necesita un alojamiento específico para solicitar o presentar cualquiera de las aplicaciones de Hanson Autoridad de Vivienda , por favor póngase en contacto con la HHA al 781-293-7474 para hacer los arreglos necesarios y una persona de contacto usted
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